This application relates to a knife/bayonet adapted to be removably mounted on a rifle and, in particular, to a knife/bayonet device including, inter alia, an improved mechanism for releasably attaching and locking the device on a rifle.
For many years, rifles used in combat have been equipped with a bayonet mounted to the distal end of the rifle barrel. A bayonet typically has three major components: (i) the hilt, (ii) the crossguard, and (iii) the blade. Traditionally, with modern automatic rifles, a bayonet is mounted to the muzzle brake of the rifle using a muzzle ring. The muzzle ring is offset with respect to the hilt and blade of the bayonet and this can cause undesirable torque on the muzzle brake as the blade is forced at or into its target. Alternatively, mounting of a bayonet is effected using a bayonet stud located on the distal end of the rifle barrel, and this stud is used in combination with a particularly shaped (xe2x80x9cbayonet-shapedxe2x80x9d) slot in the portion of the bayonet that slides over the distal end of the rifle barrel. A bayonet can also be used as a knife in close-in combat but to be effective, the bayonet must be quickly and easily removable from the rifle and easy to handle as a knife.
In accordance with the invention, a combination bayonet/knife device is provided which, in addition to its function as bayonet, can readily be used as a separate knife in hand-to-hand combat, and which incorporates additional features which enhance its usefulness in the field. The invention is particularly constructed for use with automatic rifles, such as the M4 and M16, and, in this regard, the bayonet unit of the device of the invention can be quickly and securely attached to the muzzle brake of such rifles, and also readily removed therefrom for use as a knife. The device of the invention is relatively inexpensive to manufacture while at the same time provides additional functionalities for field operations not provided by prior art bayonets.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a knife/bayonet device useful as both a knife and a bayonet adapted to be mounted on a barrel portion of a rifle having a groove therein, the device comprising: an integral knife/bayonet component including a hollow handle portion and a blade, said handle portion being adapted to fit onto the barrel portion of the rifle and including a locking groove having an opening therein extending through the handle portion; and a locking ring received in the locking groove so as to be rotatable in that groove, the locking ring including a detent portion adapted to extend through said opening and engage in the groove in the barrel portion of the rifle to thereby secure the knife/bayonet component to the rifle, said locking ring being rotatable between a first, locking position wherein said detent portion of the locking ring is seated in said opening and engages the groove in the barrel portion, and a second, release position wherein the detent portion of the locking ring is unseated from said opening so as to disengage the detent portion from the groove and thus enable removal of said knife/bayonet component.
Although the invention is not limited to such an application, in a preferred embodiment, the barrel portion of the rifle comprises a muzzle brake affixed to the barrel of the rifle, and the groove in the barrel portion comprises a standard circumferential groove in the muzzle brake.
Advantageously, the handle portion of the knife/bayonet component includes a plurality of holes therein. Preferably, at least some of said holes in said handle are aligned with exhaust holes in the muzzle brake.
Advantageously, the locking ring includes a knurled outer surface. Preferably, the locking ring includes a gap therein permitting opening of the ring to enable fitting thereof in the locking groove of the handle portion of the device.
In an important preferred embodiment, the device further comprises a butt cap adapted to be received in the proximal end of the handle portion. Preferably, the device further comprises a canister adapted to be connected to the butt cap. Advantageously, the butt cap includes a transverse hole therethrough. The transverse hole preferably includes a turning tool socket at at least one end thereof for receiving a turning tool stored in the canister. Preferably, the butt cap includes a first threaded portion for enabling the butt cap to be screwed into the proximal end of said handle portion and a second threaded portion for enabling the butt cap to be screwed into the canister. Advantageously, a portion of said butt cap including the through hole has a knurled outer surface. Preferably, the butt cap includes a first end adapted to be connected to the canister and an axially outwardly projecting portion at an end thereof opposite to said first end for assisting in enabling use of the butt cap and canister as a striking weapon.
Preferably, the blade is axially offset with respect to said handle portion.
The knife/bayonet component preferably includes a transitional portion between the blade and the handle portion and the transitional portion includes a through hole therein axially aligned with the handle portion of said component so as to permit a rifle on which the component is mounted to shoot through the through hole.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a knife/bayonet device useful as both a knife and a bayonet adapted to be mounted on a barrel portion of a rifle having a groove therein, the device comprising: an integral knife/bayonet component including a hollow handle portion and a blade, said handle portion being adapted to fit onto the barrel portion of the rifle and including a locking groove having an opening therein extending through the handle portion; a locking means received in said locking groove and including a detent portion adapted to extend through the opening in said locking groove to engage in the groove in the barrel portion of the rifle and thereby secure the knife/bayonet component to the rifle; and a butt cap adapted to be received in said handle portion and a storage canister adapted to be affixed to the butt cap.
As discussed above, the barrel portion of the rifle preferably comprises a muzzle brake affixed to the barrel of the rifle, and the groove in the barrel portion comprises a standard circumferential groove in the muzzle brake. The handle portion of said knife/bayonet component preferably includes a plurality of holes therein in alignment with exhaust holes in the muzzle brake.
The butt cap preferably includes a transverse hole therethrough. The transverse hole advantageously includes a turning tool socket at at least one end thereof for receiving a turning tool stored in the canister.
Further features and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in, or apparent from, the detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof which follows.